Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the PreOwnedBooks platform ("we", "us", "our"). By creating an account or using our services, you agree to these Terms.

1. The platform

PreOwnedBooks is a peer-to-peer marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of pre-owned books. We facilitate transactions but are not a party to any sale. Each transaction is directly between the buyer and seller.

2. Accounts

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your credentials and for all activity under your account. Provide accurate information at registration — accounts with false information may be suspended.

3. Selling on PreOwnedBooks

By listing an item, you confirm that you own it, have the right to sell it, and that your description accurately reflects its condition. Deliberate misdescription is grounds for account suspension and may trigger a full refund to the buyer at your expense.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: counterfeit or pirated works, stolen goods, items whose sale is illegal in the seller's or buyer's jurisdiction, and any item not a book or related physical media.

Fees: There are no listing fees. We charge a take rate of 10–12% on each completed sale, deducted automatically from your payout. The exact rate is shown before you confirm a listing.

4. Buying on PreOwnedBooks

By placing an order you agree to pay the listed price plus any applicable shipping costs. Payment is processed via Stripe. Your order is confirmed once payment is collected and inventory is reserved.

5. Buyer protection

If your item does not arrive within the expected timeframe, or significantly differs from the seller's description, contact us at preowned@books.com within 14 days of the expected delivery date. We will investigate and, where appropriate, issue a full refund. Disputes must be raised within this window.

6. Shipping

Sellers are responsible for shipping items within 3 business days of order confirmation. Sellers must provide a valid tracking number. Risk of loss passes to the buyer once the item is delivered to the carrier.

7. Payments and payouts

Payments are processed by Stripe. Seller payouts are initiated 2 business days after a buyer confirms delivery (or after the automatic delivery confirmation window closes). Payouts are subject to Stripe's standard payout schedule.

8. Reviews

Reviews must be honest and relate to the actual transaction. We reserve the right to remove reviews that are fraudulent, abusive, or unrelated to the purchase. Attempting to manipulate the review system is grounds for account termination.

9. Intellectual property

The PreOwnedBooks platform, including its design, code, and branding, is our intellectual property. You may not copy, modify, or distribute any part of it without written permission. Content you upload (photos, descriptions) remains yours; you grant us a licence to display it on the platform.

10. Termination

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraud, or otherwise harm the platform or its users. You may close your account at any time from Account Settings. Pending orders must be fulfilled before closure.

11. Limitation of liability

PreOwnedBooks is provided "as is". We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the fees you paid us in the 12 months prior to the claim.

12. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We'll notify registered users of material changes by email. Continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

13. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email us at preowned@books.com.